Karnataka HC grants anticipatory bail to Yeddyurappa in graft case

Bangalore ,
Thu, 15 Sep 2011ANI

Bangalore, Sep 15 (ANI): The Karnataka High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to former chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who is charged of irregularities in awarding contract to a private firm for an irrigation project.

The case deals with a private complaint filed against Yeddyurappa for illegally awarding the irrigation project deal to a private company.

Yeddyurappa's counsel, Sandeep Patil, after the court hearing said that no evidence was found against Yeddyurappa.

"It was pleaded that in respect of this very project, the unsuccessful bidder, that is Kirloskar brothers had time and again approached the courts, challenged the grant of award or contract in favour of RNS brothers, RNS infrastructure, and they had failed. And in fact, under the Karnataka transparency in public procurement act, the appellate authority has now decided that the award of contract in favour of the RNS infrastructure company is valid in law and it could have been given only to RNS Company," Patil told media persons here.

"Therefore, there is no iota of any illegality being committed either by B.S. Yeddyurappa or anybody else and on that ground alone the High Court has now granted the anticipatory bail to B.S Yeddyurappa," he added.

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Shivraj Patil had last month registered a first information report (FIR) under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Yeddyurappa.

In his complaint, Dutta had alleged the Upper Bhadra Irrigation Project was awarded to the highest bidder, a private firm RNS Jyothi at rupees 1,033 crore, thereby going against the government project norms of awarding it to the lowest bidder. (ANI)